Intimate Lilas Question

By: Mahanidhi Swami

Who can hear and who can speak about Radha and Krishna’s intimate Vraja lilas? Radha-Madhava’s rasa-lila depicted in the Srimad Bhagavatam is undoubtedly one of the most famous of the confidential pastimes of the aprakrta Kamadeva Bhagavan Sri Krishna and the aprakrta Rati murti Srimati Radharani.

And somehow by the will of Sri Krishna, this intimate, transcendental loving pastime of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna has been translated into 50 languages and is being read worldwide by all classes of people.

To answer the opening question, we will quote from our Vaisnava acharyas, comments on the Rasa-panchadhyaya (5 rasa lila chapters) and then give a conclusion.

I. Sridhara Swami: Bhagavan Sri Krishna’s sporting in the rasa dance proclaims the conquest of Cupid by pure love of God, Krishna prema. In the guise of presenting topics of conjugal love, the rasa-panchadyaya aims at the conclusion of renunciation.

II. Srila Visvanatha Cakravartipada: In the next five chapters of the Srimad Bhagavatam (10.29-33), which are the five life airs of the entire book (pancha-prana), Shukadeva Gosvami describes Sri Krishna’s rasa-lila which is the prize jewel within the whole treasury of Krishna’s pastimes. All glories to the rasa dance!

III. Srila Prabhupada:

1. The reason the Lord displays the rasa-lila is essentially to induce all the fallen souls to give up their diseased morality and religiosity, and to attract them to the kingdom of God to enjoy the reality.” (Cc. 1.4.30 p.)

2. Srimati Radharani is the central petal of the rasa-lila flower. (Cc. 1.4.81 p.)

3. One who has developed his faith in Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supreme Spirit Soul, can both describe and hear the rasa-lila.

4. One must hear from an authorized person who is in the disciplic succession and is always engaged in Krishna consciousness.

5. When a person hears the rasa-lila in this way, the effect will be sure: he will be elevated to the highest position of spiritual life.

6. One who is actually deriving benefit from hearing the rasa-lila dance surely achieves the transcendental position. He surely loses all traces of lust in his heart. (# 3-6 Krsna Book chapter 33).

CONSLUSION:

Qualities of Speaker (of confidential topics like rasa-lila or others):

1. FAITH; has faith that Sri Krishna is the transcendental Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
2. PARAMPARA; has taken diksha in a disciplic succession.
3. KRISHNA DASA; is always serving Sri Krishna.

Qualities of Listener (of divine confidential topics):

1. FAITH; has faith that Sri Krishna is the transcendental Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

EFFECT OF RIGHT SPEAKER AND LISTENER

1. You will definitely be elevated to the highest position of spiritual life!
2. You will achieve the transcendental position!
3. You will lose all traces of lust in the heart!
4. And most importantly, YOU WILL ATTAIN Radha-Krishna Vraja madhurya-prema (SB 10.33.39)

Radha-Krishna Vraja-lila kathamrta ki jai!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!